Highly recommend Central Driving Academy. I am surprised to read the older reviews . Something has changed for the better! Some of the best money I've ever spent! My teen started with CDA summer 2020. Yes, the school faced some challenges with constantly changing direction from the government due to COVID, but they did the best they could and were always super pleasant to work with. With remote learning, I wasn't sure what the high school would be able to accomplish, and wanted my teen to get her license as soon as possible once she was 16. At first I hesitated ...why pay for private lessons when public education will provide the same thing for free? But trust me, its NOT the same thing! My daughter loved going to these lessons, both the classroom and behind the wheel. She adored Bry and Alexa. Their dedication to coaching teenagers into becoming responsible and reliable drivers is always present. She passed the written test with flying colors, and was even able to take the behind the wheel exam here with Alexa as opposed to doing it at the DMV with a stranger. She got her license yesterday and the reaction she got from the teachers at Central Driving Academy made me want to share it with you all (see photo). If you have a teenager who wants to learn how to drive, without hesitation, I encourage you to enroll them here!! read more

Central Driving Academy - So many hearts and confetti! :) - Driving Schools Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

All 3 of my kids worked with Central Driving Academy to get their drivers license. They were honestly amazing in every way. They are extremely organized, responsive, very personable, they will do what they can to accommodate to their students schedules, and most importantly, they are all incredible instructors. If they feel a child needs more support, they will ensure they receive it. I highly recommend this Academy! My kids all had a wonderful experience. It was an absolute pleasure working with them! read more

Whatever you do, do not go here and most definitely do not enroll your kids in their programs. The instructors are extremely aggressive, even with students in the passenger seat. Today (7/25/25), an instructor from this company (who I believe is also the owner), removed the company placard from the top of the car, barreled down the middle of a parking lot lane, almost hit me purposely 3 separate times after harassing me, including backing up within a few inches of my car, brake checked me, stopped the car in an alley to block me from leaving, flipped me off with 2 hands while driving the car, and screamed the F word out the window several times--this is all with a what looked to be a young man in the passenger seat looking terrified, no older than 18 years old. It's been about 30 minutes since this incident and I genuinely wondering and concerned that this instructor was intoxicated because that is not how normal people behave...again, with a teenage student driver in the passenger seat. read more

Central Driving Academy - This car and instructor (who I believe is also the owner). - Driving Schools Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I believe Central Driving Academy is the best place to take your drivers Ed lessons! The teaching, curriculum, and environment is really helpful and efficient. If you are in need of drivers ed lessons, take them at Central Driving Acadmey! read more

Extremely disappointed with lack of communication from them. No one answers, you can't book any behind the wheel lessons as no one gets back to you to schedule plus they don't seem to have enough drivers. My son took his driving somewhere else 2yrs ago and it was way better. I decided to try this place for my daughter and it's been terrible. I would not recommend this place until they improve. read more

As an adult learner, I had a great experience with Central Driving Academy. I loved that Yvette was preparing me for driving in the city beyond the driving test. She was very candid about the areas to improve but was always patient and helpful and she definitely helped me build my confidence. I would definitely recommend! read more

Very disappointed with lack of communication from them. My daughter was left waiting for her lesson to begin multiple times. I'm not one to complain, but when I called the front desk after she had been sitting there for over a half hour, nobody answered the phone (even though my daughter told me someone was there--they just ignored the call). Then they did not answer any of my voice messages or e-mails. Very disappointed. read more

I have been calling and emailing for a month. No one has returned my calls or emails. I just drove over there and it says the new hours are 1-6pm. It's 3pm. The lights are on, but the door is locked and no one is at the desk. Maybe they are out of business??? read more

Central Driving was such a great introduction to driving--I couldn't have asked for a better experience. Ms. Sanchez made me feel calm and safe, while also pushing me to take control of the wheel and be a present driver. She made room for all my questions, concerns , and anxious moments. I felt as if she wasn't training me to just the pass the test, but to feel confident driving in a crowded city landscape. She also helped me navigate the DMV process in the most painless way possible (we were in and out of there in an efficient manner, no problems at all!) Also re:COVID, the cars were always sanitized and masks were worn at all time. I never felt my health or Ms. Sanchez was compromised in any manner. Thanks so much Central read more

If i can five more than five i would definitely give 100 stars for this amazing place and for the amazing Yvette! I wanted to learn how to drive and I have never been behind the wheel before. First I went to xx driving school, my experience was horrible. I paid for the full package and did not learn anything. I looked for another place and I found central driving academy! I took one class at first to see how it goes and then decide of I will use their service. Yvette is amazing! She is an incredible teacher, she is passionate, patient, professional, kind, smart and so funny. I literally enjoyed all our rides while learning how to drive. Whenever i felt down she was always there to encourage me and help me overcome difficulties I am encountering. She would text me to let me know of she is few mins late. My family noticed the progress i did immediately and i was so happy. She made sure I am ready to take the test. She drove me there, waited with me to take the test and drove me back. I passed the test from first attempt! She also made sure all my documents are ready to apply for my license. This is the service that anyone who wants to learn how to drive should use! If you are a parent and wants your teen to learn how to drive, this os the place that you should go to. She is great with teenagers and so friendly as well. When my kids grow up I will give Yvette a call to ask her to teach them how to drive!! read more

Awful, inconsistent, and unresponsive place. Change policies all the time, text the day of that they're cancelling, rarely answer the phone, and have no concept of what a covid policy is. Think nothing of being late then saying they can't drop you anywhere other than the school because of covid (even if you just drove by where you needed to be!) but then ... think it's totally fine to ask you to drive through a the drive through to pick up food which they then eat in the car while you're driving! read more

Central and their owner/instructor Yvette are amazing!! They helped my daughter get her license after three prior failures and a nightmare experience with Nova driving school. Yvette was able to build my daughter's confidence and truly teach her how to be a safe driver; she was accommodating and patient especially with my daughter's anxiety; they were also significantly less expensive than Nova; if you want your child to be a safe and confident driver, Central Driving School is the place for you!! read more

Just got my license! I'm so excited rn because I failed the tests twice and I've got a ptsd from dmv since i took a bunch of useless lessons with Nova and wasted a bunch of $$$ and time. (I took like 18 hr lessons w Nova and each time I was assigned with different instructors cuz they told me they're all booked up during the time, you can check on the lowest google reviews on their page and one of the longest is from me, there's a whole story about my experience & real story guaranteed, the 5 star ones are just so fake). I found central right before the day failing my second road test, and just started working with Central after that test. I was really pissed off thought I probably just should not drive any more, but nah it was just I chose the wrong school. Thank you Mrs Sanchez for teaching me all the rules and stuff and helped me getting my license! I bet there's no other driving instructor could be like her cuz she's one of a kind and she just has that amazing personality. I'm not a very talkative person in general and kinda introverted sometimes but with her you're just gonna go worry free, she's super nice and easy to talk to, and i rly love those anecdotes she shared, which really eased my anxieties of driving. She's such a wonderful instructor, and you'll learn all the things you need from her. Thanks for all the confidence boosts and all the stories shared! Glad I found Central and for those who saw my review here have a wonderful day& good luck ! read more

"We do Not Do No refunds!" for making you pay for services you do not need. We have not received any services from this business. The instructor did not show up the first time. Today is 12/1/2016 and there is no response to Attorney Genera;s request. $480 is appropriated without services being done. read more

Took driving classes for my permit two years ago and went to get my license last week. Central didn't file the proper paperwork for me to get my license and my permit expired the next week. I called them and after going to voicemail 3 times, they picked up and told me I didn't take my driving evaluation (which they never told me I had to take). I was upset and frustrated because I haven't gotten a single notification in two years so they forced me to renew my permit so I could take the examination. After I argued about class times, they magically managed to find out that was much earlier after they said they didn't have class times until two weeks from the day. They will use you for your money and I would NEVER recommend coming to this place ever again. The instructors are always late and seem to care very little about anything (and it's obvious through always being on their phones during a class). Waste of time and energy. read more

Yvette and her staff are amazing! Not only is she incredibly nice but she is so knowledgeable about how cars actually work and how you can maneuver the car! I had originally worked with Nova driving school and they taught me absolutely NOTHING. They basically take your money and go, if you get your license or not doesn't matter you're on your own once they have your money. Yvette really takes the time with her drivers and is super flexible. She's not just trying to get you to pass a test, she wants you to understand the rules of the road, how your car works, and how to be safe! Driving with her never felt like a task and if you make any mistakes she still remains calm and is so kind about it, you don't ever feel bad. Most importantly she really supports you during the actual exam. She really calmed my nerves and I felt so supported. Truly an amazing experience and worth every penny this is only driving school that matters!! read more

This place didn't help me get my license they rip you off and don't give you enough information the girl Evette was rude. They are not professional. I wasted time and money. read more

I wish I would read this reviews before my firs class. I have 1:45 minutes of class and they charged me for 2 hours. They also never on time. They were late more than 45 mins for first class (I have to cancel it) and 15 min for the class I haven't cancelled. Try to avoid them. read more

I went to the DMV, and they hadn't put my certificate into the state database. This incident came after numerous bad experiences with this driving school. After my evaluation, they said that I had only two incredibly (I can't emphasize that enough) minor driving issues to work on but required that I retake a full $85 evaluation (in addition to the $110 evaluation I took before) before granting me the certificate. Also, I had to go to Starbucks during a driving lesson because my instructor wanted a frappuccino. read more

Central is one of the best driving school ever. Everyone is so nice and welcoming. Yvette was a great instructor she helped and supported me for a couple months and I got my license on the first try!!Thank you central!!!! read more

My experience at central driving academy has been amazing. The instructors are great and the atmosphere was pleasant. I would encourage all of my friends to take drivers Ed at central. I learned so much and I think I'm ready to hit the road. I would recommend central diving academy to everyone I know. read more

This place. Yikes. We chose it because it was closer than Nova and our son could walk or bike there. Please note all of this started long before Covid. First day - they changed the class start time by half hour and didn't notify us. Twice during the course teachers used profanity. While talking about the test the instructor said in front of the kids "Don't worry, I won't be a b**** about it." Employees had a heated argument in front of the kids. They do not return phone calls or emails promptly or often at all. Nobody answers the phone often even during posted business hours. The car they used for driving lessons was trashed with garbage inside. When I would try to book driving lessons in advance, they didn't know the schedule yet or they didn't get back to me. Then by the time they did get back to me - they were all booked up. To be fair, at the end, Alexa was very helpful getting my son in for his evaluation. She returned emails. I hope she has moved on to a better company. They are a nightmare. read more

Central driving has been super helpful in preparing me to start driving. They give me enough information to be successful but still keep the work in class and at home manageable. It's also really nice how they guide you through not only the classroom hours but also the final test and on the road teaching. I would recommend Central to everyone I know who wants to start driving. read more

My experience with my driving instructor Yvette at Central Driving School was absolutely phenomenal. Yvette is an excellent instructor and a brilliant teacher. I do feel fortunate to have her as my instructor as I found her extremely calm, patient and professional and an equally nice person. Her advice ,explanations and patience was truly instrumental in passing my DMV test in my first attempt and getting my Driver's Licence. I can now drive confidently all around the Chicago land area and thanks to Yvette and Central driving school. I can even parallel park like a pro. I would recommend Central driving school to anyone without hesitation. Monisha read more

Read these reviews before you spend your money. I'm very sorry we decided to use this business. They have the worst customer service. If someone answers the phone you are lucky! If someone is there to answer a question during posted business hours, you are lucky! If they file the proper papers as mandated by the Dept of Motor Vehicles so that you can get your license, you are lucky! After waiting in line at the DMV is not the time to find out you've been had. For the money they charge, you would expect so much better. Even if you live across the street, go somewhere else. This isn't worth the aggravation. And lastly, no one owns up to errors, all they can say is they didn't work there last year?? Awful. read more

These people are terribly incompetent. They never answer the phone, and their driving teachers are unreliable. Their practice vehicles are dirty, as well. They had hidden terms in their contract which they leveraged to get us to purchase more driving sessions, on threat of our child losing his permit. All around, bad news. read more

Unfortunately, I have signed up my 2nd teen with Central against my better judgement because they pick up at school for the classroom tuition and at home. And yet again - They are the worst! They have my money up front, so they don't care what I think or what they do! I have complained about their tardiness via e-mail and voicemail (because they never pick-up) and have yet to hear a thing. Oh yes - they have my money in full - what do they care. Two years ago, every single one of my teen's lesson's was re-scheduled before it ever happened. One was canceled 15 minutes before the scheduled time, despite the teacher saying he was around the corner. On several occasions my teen had to ask the instructor to turn the radio down, and they were invariably on the phone. Also, she never had the same teacher for a lesson - which is quite a feat. They make a huge deal out of the student not being more than 10 minutes late and not accepting any cancellations via voicemail, yet they rarely turn up on time and don't pick up. Their excuses range from "traffic" (you don't say?) to family problems (such as picking their own children up from events). This year (2011) they have fancy (?) scheduling reminders via e-mail - which don't mean a thing. Avoid. Like the plague. Oh - and 6 months later, when my teen went to take his driving test, having passed Central's own "evaluation" - he couldn't take it because Central had forgotten to put him in the system. read more

We signed up for independent study and Central Driving Academy cashed our check in mid-July. Our student has his instruction permit but they have not signed him up for any driving hours. They are very responsive pre-sign up, available for classroom training but MIA on actual driving instruction. Stay tuned. read more

First of all the class is not cheap; their classes are not professional although the actual drive instructor was good. The biggest problem is that the school did not send in the certification and now my granddaughter has waited in line all day to be told she can not take the test. read more

I had a good experience at Central Driving Academy. Although it is not cheap, it was a lot faster than doing it at my school. Yvette was a good instructor and fun to drive with. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to get their license fast and effectively. read more

I was frustrated throughout the unreasonably long period during which my teenager learned to drive with Central Driving Academy. Nothing came easily or quickly with this company. Central Driving Academy doesn't answer the phone, doesn't use email, and doesn't employ a modern scheduling tool, making communication nearly impossible. There were several mix-ups, including cancelled classes and cancelled behind-the-wheel appointments. After more than eight months, $565 (paid upfront), and unpleasantness, my teenager finally has proof that she finished the required driver ed course. I do not recommend using Central Driving Academy. read more

My experience with Central was indeed a great one. In the classroom I had Yvette give me one on one help with topics that I was struggling with, which really meant a lot to me. My driving instructor was Synthia, and she was encouraging but at the same time thoughtful in her criticism. Both parts of the course were very organized and helped me understand the responsibility of driving. Thanks for all the help Central! read more

The teachers are very educated in the sense they don't do it just to have a job. One woman has been working for 15+ years there and just really loves education. In any situation you want your child to be educated by someone who cares about them. Learning about driving involves bursts of compact lessons on safety and self control which is also highlighted in Central's curriculum along with the tools to pass any test. read more

I would like to thank the Central Driving Academy staff. They did a great job with my daughter's program. They are very accommodating and most importantly I felt that they always had my daughter's best interest at all times. I highly recommend this school to any one looking to learn how to drive. read more

Central driving is a great place to have a teen (or any age person) get their driving training. My son went to a CPS school but needed extra driving with an instructor. We went to central. Yvette worked with my son. They pick you up at home (or wherever is convenient for you). She was always on time, very professional and experienced. My son enjoyed driving with her. He got his license with Yvette. Very enjoyable experience working with Central Driving. I highly recommend Central Driving. read more